Mayor Rich David told Action News that he has made a commitment to addressing blight.

David said he believes it lowers the quality and integrity of neighborhoods and their property values.

However, with a limited city budget, city officials said they will have to be strategic with financial resources.

"I'm trying to move more money into streets, infrastructure, demolition, etc,” said David. “Because when I talk about putting an enhanced focus on basic city services, this is an example of what I'm talking about. We need more dollars for demolition."

City officials are putting an enhanced effort on the north side of the city because they recognize a need and potential in that area.

When asked how many properties he considers blighted in our area, David responded "too many".